[27] “You can form no idea of the pleasure it gave us to meet the regulars after having been so long with the cursed volunteers.... I am tired of Tampico for I like to be in motion.—You have no idea of the charm and excitement of a march—I could live such a life for years and years without becoming tired of it. There is a great deal of hardship—but we have our own fun. If we have to get up, and start long before daybreak—we make up for it, when we gather around the campfires at night—you never saw such a merry set as we are—no care, no trouble—we criticize the Generals—laugh and swear at the mustangs and volunteers, smoke our cigars and drink our brandy, when we have any—go without when we have none.” (Letter to Mother dated Tampico, February 4, 1847. (McClellan Papers, Vol. I.)
[28] The Isle of Lobos is “a lovely little spot, formed entirely of coral, about two miles in circumference, twelve miles from the Mexican shore, sixty from Tampico, and one hundred and thirty from Vera Cruz.” N. C. Brooks, History of the Mexican War, page 295.
It was at the Isle of Lobos that General Scott organized his army. The regulars were divided into two brigades, commanded by Generals William J. Worth and David E. Twiggs respectively. General Robert Patterson commanded the division of volunteers which was composed of the three brigades of Generals Gideon J. Pillow, John A. Quitman and James Shields. All told, Scott’s army numbered over 12,000 men. J. B. McMaster, History of the People of the United States, Vol. VII, page 506; James Schouler, History of the United States, Vol. V, page 42.
[29] The island of Sacrificios, three miles south of Vera Cruz.
[30] William J. Worth was born in Hudson, N. Y., on March 1, 1794. He fought in the War of 1812 and in the Seminole War in 1841. During the Mexican War he participated in the campaigns of Generals Taylor and Scott and later he commanded in Texas. He died at San Antonio, Texas, on May 17, 1849.
[31] Escopette, a carbine or short rifle, especially a form used by the Spanish Americans (Century Dict.).
[32] Light cavalry armed with lances, or long spears, varying from 8½ to 11 feet in length (Century Dict.).
[33] Pierre G. T. Beauregard, later a prominent Confederate General, was born in New Orleans on May 28, 1818. He graduated from West Point in 1838. Died at New Orleans on February 20, 1893.
Beauregard was appointed a brigadier general in the Confederate Army in 1861 and bombarded and captured Fort Sumter in April of the same year. He commanded at the first battle of Bull Run on July 21, 1861, and following it was promoted to the rank of general. He took part in the battle of Shiloh in April, 1862, commanded at Charleston, S. C., from 1862 to 1864, and in Virginia in the latter year.
[34] Robert E. Lee, later the celebrated Confederate General-in-Chief and McClellan’s main adversary. He was born at Stratford, Westmoreland Co., Virginia, on January 19, 1807, and died at Lexington, Virginia, on October 12, 1870.